Chapter 273: Being Deceived Is Being Deceived — Might As Well Be Me

Mr. Wadrick seriously explained to Severella the deeper meaning behind Lynch’s answer. At first, Severella found it somewhat interesting and believed it was just a matter of time before she understood.

But as Mr. Wadrick’s explanation grew more detailed and complex, involving geopolitics and international relations, Severella realized how terrifying Lynch’s answer truly was.

Mr. Wadrick’s intention wasn’t to make his daughter like Lynch; he only wanted to prevent Severella’s curiosity. Without curiosity, there would be no reason for further contact, and they wouldn’t become lovers.

“Lynch is a very special young man. He’s excellent, but his excellence is not the kind we usually praise.”

“It’s like admiring a strong opponent — no matter how much praise we give, he remains the enemy. Do you understand?”

Wadrick looked into her eyes. She bit her lip and nodded. “I think I understand…”

Wadrick smiled and gently touched her hair. “Lynch is good, but he’s not right for you. If he loves you, that’s one thing, but if you love him, it’s destined to be a tragedy…”

He withdrew his hand. “Alright, go rest. It’s late.”

After seeing his daughter off, Wadrick’s wife approached, holding his hand with a conflicted expression. “Isn’t that a bit cruel?”

“I’m just doing what’s best for her.”

A cliché but true statement.

Meanwhile, Lynch didn’t leave immediately after the celebration. He stayed in Eminence for four days before returning to Sabin City.

During those days, he met many people, attended three informal parties and five salons, and had many discussions.

His radical speech at the president’s celebration had started spreading. Some of the most extreme radicals reached out, discussing bold plans to make an impact in the soon-to-open international community.

From dealing with these radicals, Lynch sensed their insecurity. Their desperation to prove themselves internationally included the Imperial Army and Navy.

The military was also unsure if they could bear the heavy responsibility of deciding the nation’s fate and leading the federation further.

This insecurity to prove themselves both domestically and internationally made these people the radicals others spoke of.

Throughout this time, Lynch moved among them and had gained some notoriety as a young man in his early twenties preaching the rhetoric of plundering powerful nations.

Upon returning to Sabin City, two things immediately demanded his attention.

First, Edwin wanted to meet him. Given the strong impression Lynch left on the president and the connections he made in Eminence, Edwin felt some matters were better discussed directly, without intermediaries.

That’s the benefit of reputation. If Lynch needed a middleman to approach Edwin, it would reflect poorly on her and the governor — implying the governor had a fool for a subordinate.

Lynch thought: he met the president without an intermediary but needed one to see a governor’s aide? Does he think he ranks higher than the president?

Second, Vera had taken a leave of absence. She was processing a divorce with Gap. Property division and other responsibilities required time and legal procedures.

Divorcing Gap was a way to avoid being implicated. It was Gap’s idea during his detention after requesting to see Vera once.

If divorced, with full separation of assets and liabilities, any legal consequences Gap faced wouldn’t affect Vera or their children, which was crucial.

In this society, money and power were paramount. Without power and money, Vera and her children’s future would be bleak.

Though their relationship had grown cold, Vera softened when Gap made this request.

She was now busy dividing assets and debts herself and had no time to work for Lynch.

Another piece of news that interested Lynch:

Mr. Hart, who had acquired the club’s land, launched his first round of promotion with a flashy offer — guaranteed rent buyback.

If Lynch hadn’t experienced another world, he might have been drawn in by the pitch. But having seen much, he immediately saw that Hart wanted a quick profit and a quick exit.

Hart’s claims were grand. A sixty-square-meter apartment priced around fifty thousand, far above the surrounding property values, especially for apartments meant for low-income tenants.

But the gimmick was the guaranteed rent: investors needn’t worry about vacancies. From the day the apartment was built, Hart’s company would pay rent to investors regardless.

Citing Sabin City government data, which provided about seventy-five units in rent subsidies monthly, combined with tenant payments, each unit might earn around one hundred ten Sol a month.

That’s twelve hundred ten Sol a year, or about seventeen to eighteen thousand over ten years, including a 5% annual increase.

For fifty thousand, investors get the full property rights plus a cash-back equivalent to ten years of rent upfront.

While the apartment’s true value was closer to thirty thousand, saving nearly twenty thousand while gaining full ownership attracted investors.

Hart’s second selling point: after six years, investors could sell the apartment back to Hart for the original purchase price, or keep it if they wished.

Simply put, it was a risk-free investment with guaranteed returns.

Buying for thirty thousand and selling back for fifty thousand after six years meant about twenty thousand profit, roughly three thousand per year — comparable to a full salary for many families.

Some questioned how Hart would profit, but he explained with hard-to-grasp logic that he wouldn’t lose money.

First, steady cash flow would yield some earnings. Second, property prices would rise; Hart claimed these apartments would be worth seventy to eighty thousand in six years, so buying back at fifty thousand wouldn’t lose him money.

As prices rose, his profits would grow, and his community services company would collect management fees.

He candidly admitted that the project used investors’ money to generate profit, with him taking the majority share and investors a smaller one.

This honesty surprisingly drew much attention, and many queued to buy one or two units.

Nobody knew where the federation was headed. Even though the new president spoke optimistically, people struggled to decide.

Investing in a guaranteed, no-loss business aligned with the middle class’s financial philosophy.

Many middle-class families put their rapidly devaluing funds into this project, some buying one or two apartments, others a dozen or more. Some even sold their homes and took loans to invest.

Mark spoke about this with pride, “I met Hart several times. He knows and respects me. I just said I had friends interested, and he sold me ten units…”

Lynch couldn’t help but say, “I have a plan too — maybe you’ll find it even more interesting!”